Looking ahead to the game, Sale Sharks' Director of Rugby Steve Diamond said: "We face possibly one of the most challenging games in going to London Irish.

"They are a very proud club, they are desperate and they will probably target this month when they face ourselves, Northampton and Worcester as their lifeline.

"They are unbeaten in the last four games and in their last three league games they have only lost by three or four points so I think it's a big obstacle for us and we've got to make sure we get over it."
Unavailable for selection due to injury were AJ MacGinty, Tom Curry, James O'Connor, Jonny Leota, Byron McGuigan and Matt Sturgess.

Andrei Ostrikov and Alexandru Tarus are away with their countries.

Russia face Spain in Krasnodar and Romania play Germany in Bucharest, both in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Six Nations B qualifiers.